White Moon, Black Ocean
by Maria Maroon
Summary: Seven years after the fall of the Dark Lord, a new threat has risen from his followers. Will Luna's mysterious, growing power help save the wizarding world, or will it drag both her and a confused, desperate Severus into madness? HBPcompAUafterDHspoil
1. Chapter 1

The night is cold as the witch and wizard step quickly across the courtyard's dry grass and patches of dust. The witch pulls her cloak around her shoulders, shivering, but the old wizard only grunts and continues, his wooden staff marking the otherwise silent night with hurried taps. 

As they reach the row of houses, the buildings seem to bubble before them. Before Mad-Eye steps onto the pavement, a previously hidden door appears, the number 12 almost glimmering in the soft light of the street lamps. He marches up the steps before her, making no effort at courtesy, and knocks the door harshly with the top of his staff. When the door opens after no more than a moment, he exchanges a quiet burst of words with a dark silhouette before escorting her, a bit more chivalrously now, inside.

The warm light bathes Luna's nearly white curls as she removes her hood to stare in wonder at the old hallway. A comfortable scent of dust and oldness lingers in the air despite the apparent cleanliness of the entryway. Behind her, a man with dark, messy hair sweeps his gaze cautiously over the courtyard before closing the door and locking it with murmured incantations. Moody nods to Harry before stumping toward the kitchen, leaving him to turn, embrace, and welcome his old friend.

"Luna, how was the trip? It's so good to see you!"

Luna smiles as she holds him in the hug for just a moment too long, letting the warmth and relief of him replace the chill air of the courtyard and sky beyond. "Oh, I'm so happy Harry. I thought we would never get here. Really, we might have died. And the trip was very long, too."

Harry chuckles at his friend's familiar bluntness and guides her to follow Moody. "I imagine it takes quite a while to come from that far away without Portkey. How was it, by the way?" He takes her bags, glancing only for a moment around him for other luggage. Seeing none (and not wishing to embarrass her), he whisks them upstairs with a flick of his wand.

"Siberia was wonderful. I could have done without the Urals, though. It's so lonely out there. I was quite glad when Minerva contacted me, actually." When they reach the kitchen door, Luna is interrupted as it flings open and a whirl of arms rush out to her.

"Where have you been! Not a word for two days, nothing to tell us you were alive, and goodness knows we can't count on Alastor for contact, oh Luna, I've missed you!" Ginny nearly knocks Luna to the floor with Hermione close behind, the latter woman waiting to speak until after hugging and checking Luna for injuries. "Ginny, you sound like Molly, give her a rest. Luna! Come in, we've got food still out for you, you must be starving. How was Russia?"

Amid the chaos of hugs and welcoming from the women, Ron, and Neville, Luna finally makes it into the kitchen. The night's Order meeting has apparently just finished, as members greet her on their way out. Remus and Tonks apologize as they rush by with little Teddy in tow, promising to visit later in the week. Minerva gives her a brief but tight hug before also dashing out. Luna doesn't question the rush--the very reason she returned being the cause.

She almost sits at the long wooden table before a tall, dark figure approaches. "Miss Lovegood." She looks up slowly at the man's face hovering above her, almost afraid to see. Severus Snape apparently notices her hesitation, and a faint smirk flutters across his pale lips. "I see you've finally returned, despite Alastor's ridiculous measures." Moody grunts from a darkened corner of the kitchen, apparently unimpressed with Severus's appraisal.

"It's good to see you, sir. You don't look half as bad as I expected, from what Ron and Harry wrote me." Her former professor's smirk changes to a scowl at her words, and he pulls his cloak around him as if to leave. "Yes, well, my eternal thanks for your glowing review." His black eyes harden, and he pauses before brushing past her without another word.

"Professor," Luna calls out, her long hair swinging as she watches him leave. He stops without turning, one hand pressed to open the kitchen door.

"Occlumency doesn't work, you know. I thought I should tell you."


	2. Chapter 2

The soft light of dawn filters through the windows and over Luna's quilt, warming her feet, then legs, then the rest of her body. She smiles and rolls onto her back, cherishing the tingle of comfort as it washes over her muscles. The trip with Moody was long and tiresome, and her nearly full night of rest had been earned. 

The scent of sausage floats faintly into the room, followed by the soft sounds of the household waking. Luna rises and sorts through her bags to find a robe. She can hear Molly below, banging pots and pans and surely arguing with Kreacher once again. Luna quickly saw the night before that Mrs. Weasley and the house elf had not been getting along--in fact, it seemed that they may have been struggling over caring for the members of the Order staying at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place for quite some time.

She hums to herself as she slides into slippers and walks downstairs toward the noise. Luna can feel the irritation of the arguers already, and she allows the feeling to intensify as she walks through the door.

"I have already told you, elf, that I will be cooking breakfasts here. Don't you have something to clean?" an exasperated Molly demands before seeing Luna come in and sit at the table. "Oh, good morning dear." Her frustration gives way to a charmed smile. "I hope you're hungry. The boys haven't come down yet, so there's still plenty." Kreacher moves to grab a plate, but Molly reaches it first. "Here you are. Pumpkin juice?"

Luna smiles and chats with Molly as the motherly caretaker of the Order serves her heaping piles of sausages, eggs, and toast. Kreacher takes the opportunity to pour her drink, bowing with a too-pleased smile at Molly's lack of attention.

A pounding on the stairs alerts them just prior to the boisterous arrival of Harry and Ron, who set upon the food before Ginny and Hermione (strolling in much more sedately behind them) pass through the door. "Oh, Mum, this is great," Ron mumbles through a mouthful of eggs, neglecting to take the offered plate from Kreacher. Hermione rolls her eyes at him and serves herself, pointedly ignoring the ongoing struggle between Molly and the house elf.

"So Luna, what was that with Snape last night?" Harry asks. Ginny elbows him in the ribs, her face hidden behind a large glass of juice. "What? It was weird!"

Luna laughs. "It's ok. I knew it would shake him up a bit. I suppose it would have been worse if I waited. I thought he might be more angry if I didn't let him prepare."

Hermione sits across from Luna, now listening intently. "So it's true then? You really are a natural Legilimens?" She waits for her answer with a penetrating stare almost as if she herself were using the spell.

"Well, it's almost like that, but not quite." Luna chews thoughtfully for a moment, the others in the kitchen quieting to hear her answer. "I don't have to use the incantation, or even look into your eyes. I just... _feel_ things. I'm not quite good at it, so I only feel emotions now. Minerva says I may feel memories as well if it keeps getting stronger, though."

Ron looks uncomfortably at Harry, and almost as suddenly, Luna giggles. "I'm not going to use it against any of you, don't worry."

Ron's expression looks as though her words have the opposite of their intended effect. "Don't you think that's kind of an intrusion? I mean, not that you mean it, but, you know what I mean." He is flustered, but Luna continues to smile at him in her familiar, dreamy way.

"I've gotten so used to it now that I don't even think about it. It's not useful unless I'm concentrating, anyway. For instance, right now I can feel all of you at once, and it's too hard to sort you out without really trying." An uncomfortable waver passes over everyone but Hermione, who seems fascinated, and Kreacher, who sneaks behind the occupied Molly to refill plates and glasses.

"And you only just started doing this? In Russia? Oh, do you think it's some kind of old magic from wizards there?" Hermione, entranced by the idea, is almost aglow with her thoughts. Luna laughs, feeling the old inquisitive adrenaline rush she associates with her friend. "I think I've always had it, I just never knew it. Then when I was in the mountains, alone all the time, I could just tell when someone was coming near. I think not having anyone around helped me focus it."

Ginny finishes her breakfast first and allows Kreacher to gather her dishes, winking to her annoyed mother over his shoulder. "Well, I think it's great you're back. I was so worried when Minerva--" Harry clears is throat loudly. "Don't you think we ought to talk about that another time, dear?" Ginny scrunches her nose at him. "It's not like she doesn't know, Harry. Anyway, Luna, I was so worried when Minerva said you would be in danger out there."

Molly gasps, "Ginevra!" Ginny rolls her eyes. "It's not as if she doesn't know!" she snaps, and the others shift uncomfortably. Luna watches the exchange with only mild interest, her eyes withdrawn above her slightly faded smile. After a tense moment, she seems to come back to the conversation. "I know the Death Eaters would love to have me, if they know about it yet."

"All right, that is enough!" Molly nearly shouts, breaking the thick strain in the room through which Luna still smiles. "You're going to be late for work, and I'm sure Luna would like a rest from your incessant questions!" Harry and Ron take the opportunity to bolt from the room, while Ginny follows in a huff and Hermione helps to clear the remaining dishes.

Luna rises from the table then, thanking Molly and Kreacher (much to Molly's dismay) for breakfast, and goes upstairs to dress. She wonders idly how many equally tense conversations on the same topic were held before her arrival, and how many more would follow between that morning and her departure for Hogwarts the coming weekend.


	3. Chapter 3

Severus Snape sits quite still behind his desk, staring straight ahead, not moving for many minutes. To an outsider, it may appear that he is practicing his infamous, intimidating glower for the fast-approaching school year. When he finally moves, it is to close his eyes, breathe more deeply for a moment, then to hold his stare again. 

He repeats this cycle for what seems like hours--he doesn't keep track of the time as it would be distracting. A close observer might notice that, while he concentrates, his black eyes flicker in and out of focus. When he rests, his breathing is ragged, and his pulse quickens. It is as though he rests from practicing for a marathon rather than the impending arrival of one Miss Luna Lovegood.

He finally sighs, stands, and prepares to leave his office for dinner in the Great Hall. He hopes that none of the remaining staff are there, especially as he will arrive later than the usual meal time. After the strain of his practice sessions, he finds he rarely has the energy to engage in mindless prattle with his colleagues.

With a flick of his wand and the characteristic swish of his robes, he goes. The wards recede, then regenerate as he exits through his door. The portraits in his dungeon hallway mutter to each other as he passes. They have noticed his recent change of mood, although he makes it a point to ignore them as much as possible.

The Great Hall has only one round table during the summer, rather than the usual four house tables. Severus is pleased to find only Minerva left this evening. Although he enjoyed the company of and respected her predecessor, Albus Dumbledore, Headmistress McGonagall is satisfactory in ways different than the befuddling old man. Severus appreciates her straightforward manner, her businesslike management style, and particularly her tact--she is far more inclined to stay out of his affairs than Albus, whose good nature often came with the unfortunate side effect of good-natured meddling.

"Good evening, Minerva." He chooses a seat near her and pours a glass of wine for himself as dishes begin to appear before him. "Is that the latest _Transfiguring Monthly_?"

She raises an eyebrow at him from behind her journal. "How coy, Severus. I quite enjoyed your article this month. Although, I must question your authority on transfiguration of medicinal potions. I don't think I've ever heard of you putting forth such effort in fields outside your own."

He swallows a sip of wine and smirks at her. "On the contrary, Minerva, I quite enjoy subjugating the lesser magics in pursuit of better potions." He stifles a chuckle as he sees her dark expression in the corner of his eye, and decides to change the subject. "Speaking of lesser magics, do you know when Miss Lovegood will arrive?"

Minerva glances at hearing his nonchalant tone, but doesn't raise her head from the journal as she answers. "She will be coming on the train, I believe. Why do you ask?"

"As she is one of the infamous Potter clan, I would like to enjoy my last few precious days of peace as much as possible." He refills his glass as he replies. It is more than he usually has at dinner, but he wants to sleep soon after the meal. He is still weary from his practice session.

Minerva chuckles and finally looks up at him. "I believe you'll find that Miss Lovegood has grown up a bit since you last met here. Personally, though," she says as she dives back into the journal, "I think you might dread her for other reasons this time 'round."

Severus looks at her for a moment, gauging how much she might know. She has returned to her reading, or has at least pretended to, so he stands to leave. "I doubt that very much. Have a good evening, Minerva."

Whether he doubts if Miss Lovegood has changed or whether he doubts that his reasons for dread have changed in the past seven years, he does not clarify. Minerva watches him leave, a half-finished glass of wine the only trace of his presence left on the table.


	4. Chapter 4

The days leading up to her departure passed quickly, and Luna is both saddened and relieved that she spends so little time with her old friends as she sits in her carriage on the Hogwarts Express. She had grown accustomed to solitude during her years in the mountains. Also, the constant bickering between various members of the Order of the Phoenix over her was tiring. 

Most members were satisfied that she was back, and only wished her to be "safe," or ill-informed, in Hogwarts. Molly led the charge, interrupting any discussions involving Death Eaters, her newly discovered power, or her future outside of teaching at the school. Most of the arguments arose from Ginny, who despised her mother's stance on the issue. She, Remus, Tonks, and the others of Luna's generation were inclined to believe that more information meant better protection.

Neville, one of Luna's dearest friends since the Battle of Hogwarts, refused to take sides. Instead, he made it his personal duty to reintroduce her to all of her favorite places in wizarding London--Diagon Alley, Shell Cottage and homes of other Order members, and even one tearful trip to her father's now empty home. Xenophilius Lovegood had met his (uncharacteristically) quiet end a few years before, and although Luna now owned the property and all of his possessions, it had all remained untouched since his burial. Even the Quibbler was silent, an especially sensitive loss to the wizarding world considering its fondly remembered contributions during the war.

Neville had, in fact, neglected his own preparation for the school year. Luna was eternally grateful for the attention he showered upon her, but she began to worry immediately for his intentions. Of course, she knew that he had no clear intentions yet, but judging by what she felt from him, she knew before he did that they were not long in coming. She'd always had a special affinity for the bumbling-but-brave Gryffindor, and she had even entertained the idea of seeing him more often after the fall of Voldemort (especially considering his astonishing display of courage in killing Nagini--Luna freely admitted to herself that she was just as enamored by it as every other girl who now fawned over him). But, as she began her Auror training and he became Professor Sprout's apprentice, she resigned herself to the fact that they were quickly growing apart in the physical realm if not romantically.

Luna muses over these thoughts as the train begins to move. She gives one last wave to Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron as they watch from the platform. The growing length between the train and her friends feels like the last seven years feel to her, separating her from everything she once knew, and bringing her only to places once familiar but now totally foreign. The Order headquarters, Harry's godfather's home and now his, is only the same to her in memory. The Order itself is only familiar on the surface; some members remain, but there are many new faces, and even her friends are not the same. She expected this in some ways, perhaps, but to actually feel the differences is entirely different. To walk the same cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley but to see different shops, to open the door to her family's home but to see it dusty and neglected, to visit Shell Cottage but to see Dobby's grave overgrown and played upon by strange, laughing children--

Luna dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief just as the carriage door opens and three students tumble in. They don't notice her at first, so busy they are with their heavy luggage and conversation. They stop as she stands to help them, a bit surprised. "Oh, sorry, there's no others open. Do you still have room?" one of the boys asks her.

"Certainly, I'm by myself. Or, I was." She smiles, which seems to relieve them. The lone girl in the group accepts her help, then asks, "Are you a seventh year?" Her voice trembles a little.

"No, I'm Lu--Professor Lovegood." She uses her title for the first time, the word not quite fitting as it passes her lips. "I'm your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year."


	5. Chapter 5

Luna watches with a pleased smile from the head table as the first-year students line up to be sorted. She remembers her own sorting, which feels like centuries ago now. She almost can't believe that she was as small and nervous as the children standing before her (although, she thinks to herself with a chuckle, she was more curious about whether there were nargles in the hat than nervous). As Minerva calls names, Luna sees the three students from her carriage step forward to the stool. A tear rolls down her cheek--all three are sorted into Gryffindor. Of course it is just coincidence, but she feels her earlier sad reflections over memories returning. 

Neville, seated on her left, doesn't notice the tear. He watches the students intently, clapping loudly when a girl or boy is sorted into his house. Luna didn't need her power to feel his house pride. He told her almost from the moment she arrived at the Order headquarters that he'd taken Minerva's place as head of Gryffindor house. Luna allows herself to bask in his happiness for a moment as she wipes the tear from her eye.

Severus, unlike his colleague, does notice the tear, however. She can feel him, seated on her right, staring at her. He recoils when she leans closer to whisper, "Are you really that surprised, Severus?"

He sneers at her and turns back to the sorting. "I thought Ravenclaws were intelligent, not sniveling."

Luna is taken aback by his words. She doesn't know what she expected, but Neville had assured her that Severus was much less irreverent to his fellow professors than his students. She searches him for a moment before replying, something she hesitates to do usually but, well, any preparation for Severus Snape is wise. She feels his satisfaction at her reaction, his feeling of superiority, and something else... a quick flash of fear, floating just beneath his facade of confidence.

"Are you afraid of me, Severus?"

He sits stiffly for a moment, staring straight ahead, and just as he opens his mouth, the hat sorts the last student. A roar of approval erupts from the students and most of the staff table, no one noticing the tense exchange between the Potions and Defense professors. Luna feels a tinge of relief as Neville turns to speak to her and the food appears--not her own, but Severus's.

The rest of the meal passes quickly for Luna, who can only barely pay attention to what Neville is rapidly telling her about all of the changes to the school since she has been away. She knows most of it already, but he seems quite excited to tell her all of the details. He is also excited to hear about her lesson plans for the year. Unfortunately, as she has informed him numerous times over the past week, she is woefully underprepared for the term. The time since her appointment was spent traveling with Moody and catching up with the Order members.

Minerva seems to have complete confidence in her abilities to improvise, which worries Luna. Should she fail, she would disappoint the Order and Hogwarts. Worse than that, she would leave her students a full year behind, which would put them in more danger than usual, considering the current political situation. She had tried each night to remember and write down things that she learned as a student, but her list was quite pathetic. She had a difficult time especially separating spells acceptable for Hogwarts teaching and spells she'd learned as an Auror. Although they would certainly keep her students safe from attack, they would almost as certainly put a few of them in Azkaban at best, kill them at worst.

She worries about this as she feigns attention to Neville and during Minerva's last speech. She only barely hears her own introduction, awakened from her thoughts mostly by the especially boisterous cheers of her three carriage mates. As the Great Hall clears, she alternates between considering her lesson problem and her Snape problem (as she is already beginning to refer to it). Then, as she watches him billow out of the Hall and away from her at a near-run, the solution to at least one of her problems, and hopefully both, dawns on her.

* * *

** A/N:**  
Thank you so much for your reviews!

I'm sorry this story moves along so slowly and the chapters are so short. Fanfic is an exercise to help me get back into writing, so please bear with me (it's been a while). I promise I have some good parts coming up, especially for those of you who, like me, adore Luna and Snape and wish they'd gotten a bit more attention. :) (On that note, this story is rated M for a reason, so please be aware of that as we move into the coming chapters.) Thank you!


	6. Chapter 6

Luna was excited to attend the first after-dinner Hogwarts staff meeting. In her time as a student, she'd hardly considered that her teachers might have lives and duties outside of their students. Dumbledore was different, of course, and life in the Order had revealed a small bit of this to her in regards to Minerva and Severus. However, that was during the war. Something as mundane as a staff meeting seemed like a strange activity for the people she'd seen in an entirely different light before her return. 

Neville had mentioned that the first meeting was little more than a party, but she is still surprised to see drinks on the table before everyone even arrives. The Herbology professor pours drinks for her and himself before Minerva calls the meeting to order.

They begin by taking turns detailing summer activities, research progress, and plans for the coming year. Luna has a hard time holding in laughter when she sees Severus roll his eyes during Filius Flitwick's especially long, winding description of his recent Charms accomplishments. She allows her mind to wander during Neville's turn, as she has nearly memorized what he has to say. She is startled when Minerva says her name.

"Luna? Are you alright?"

She blushes a little and nods. "Yes, sorry. What was that?"

She sees Severus smirk and feels his amusement, but she ignores him.

"I asked whether you might tell the rest of the staff what you've been working on in Russia. If you don't mind, dear." Minerva smiles.

Luna nods. "Of course. Some of you might know that I was assigned to find some of the more elusive remaining members of Voldemort's army after the war." Even so many years after the Dark Lord's fall, she sees some winces around the table as she says his name. "We had reports that a few were hiding in Russia, but not much more information than that. After tracking rumors across the country, my best leads pointed to the Ural mountain range. So, for the past few years I've traveled through the range, looking for any signs of life."

She stops to take a drink, and notices that she has the room's rapt attention. Her activities until now have only been known by her superiors in the Auror department and, to a lesser degree of specificity, Minerva. Neville had pestered her for information all week, but she'd only answered him vaguely.

"I was only successful in capturing Rabastan Lestrange--" Filius gasps, "That was you?" Luna smiles to him. "Yes, and the Prophet was told not to report my name. I was something of a 'secret weapon' for a time."

She finishes her drink and continues as Neville pours her another. "Thank you. From Rabastan, we learned that there were others but not their locations. Unfortunately, the Death Eaters have learned from a few of their mistakes. They are now organized with far more secrecy, much like Muggle terrorists." Luna ignores the puzzled looks around the table. "As their numbers have dwindled, they've developed new strategies to regain the fear and power they once held under Voldemort."

"I remained in the area for a year or so, coming only a little closer to finding more of them. I believe they knew I was coming at that point, as I was attacked a few times." Neville shifts in his seat, moving a bit closer to her. "I was forced to cut off most of the little communication I had, and my message to Minerva would have been one of my last had I continued my mission."

She looks to the woman now, unsure of whether to go on. The Headmistress nods. "They may as well know, dear. It won't be a secret for long."

Luna notices a distinct rise in feeling from the dark wizard who has remained relatively calm until now as she continues. "I contacted Minerva to ask about certain changes in my ability to track life in the mountains. Finding animals for food was becoming alarmingly easy, and I began to detect humans, although I couldn't put my finger on how I was doing this or where exactly they were." While she pauses to sip her drink, she gently probes the pale wizard's emotion--the twinge of fear from dinner remains, his earlier confidence replaced with impatience. She smiles to herself.

"She advised me to follow this instinct, as she called it, and see where it took me. Her advice was quite useful, although I admit I wasn't prepared for how useful it was. After a few short days of tracking, I was awakened in the night by a vicious group of death eaters. Apparently, I'd come quite close to their temporary headquarters." She loses her concentration for a moment as Neville's panic washes over her. His feeling is so powerful that she is caught off guard--this is the first time she has been so strongly touched. Minerva, taking this as a personal emotional reaction, smiles to her kindly. "Take your time, dear."

Luna realizes she's paused so noticeably and continues. "They weren't pleased, of course." Severus snorts, to the annoyance of Neville. "I thought I might be in trouble for a few moments. I remembered my emergency Portkey though, and I used it before they had a chance to do much more than wake me." She feels relief wash over some of her fellow staff members with one exception. Suspicion leaks in from the former death eater. Luna puzzles over this as she finishes her explanation. "The Auror department has been pouring over the area since my discovery. They caught only a few of the slower death eaters, but the information from their location has been invaluable. My superiors asked that I return and stay here for a time, and Minerva offered me a position."

She sits back into her chair, indicating that she is finished. She doesn't wish to discuss specifics about why she isn't returning to the Aurors just yet, or details about her lesson plans (or lack thereof). The staff members clap lightly before moving on. Neville glances at her throughout the rest of the meeting, barely paying attention. Luna notices that Severus passes on his turn as though it were usual for him to do so. She is disappointed. She'd hoped to hear what he was up to since she was gone. She decides to ask him later. Perhaps showing interest in his activities will lessen the tension between them.

Minerva stands and moves the table to the side of the room when she finishes her last announcements. "Now that that's over, we can start the real meeting." She smiles as a few house elves apparate, bearing more drinks and a small array of snacks. As they arrange the table, Luna slips away from Neville's protective hovering and finds Severus sulking in an armchair near a corner of the room.

"Severus, do you have a moment?"

He grunts in reply.

Luna isn't swayed. "I need to ask you about the Dark Arts classes. Do you have your notes from when you taught them?"

He glares at her now, his eyes narrowing. Luna suddenly feels that this is a sensitive topic.

"Miss Lovegood, I hope you didn't count on me preparing your lessons for you. Or did you expect me to teach them for you as well?"

She pulls a chair to sit next to him, sensing his unhappiness at being trapped with her for the moment. "You know why I didn't have time to prepare." She looks at him meaningfully for a moment, but he says nothing. "I hoped you might let me borrow your syllabus. I know they'll be a great help."

He smirks. "Flattery will get you nowhere, at least with me, Miss Lovegood." She curses to herself.

"However," he goes on after a moment, "I might be willing to help you." She feels his suspicion from earlier come back to the surface. She freely allows herself to detect him now, despite her reluctance to do so in general until this evening. But, as she might have expected, knowing Severus Snape's feelings doesn't make his thoughts any easier to divine.


End file.
